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Nicholls professor emeritus was dynamic, congenial

Nolan P. LeCompte Jr.

Alfred N. DelahayeNicholls Journalism Professor Emeritus

Published: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 at 11:05 p.m.

Friends, colleagues and former students remember Nolan P. LeCompte Jr., Nicholls professor and vice president of academic affairs emeritus, as a dynamic lecturer, an effective administrator and a congenial friend. He died Friday morning at his Houma home at age 77. Visitation will be from noon until the 2 p.m. funeral time Thursday at St. Thomas Aquinas on the Nicholls campus.

“He was one of the leaders who made Nicholls what it is today,” former Nicholls President Donald Ayo said. “His love of the academic world and his love for students served him well as a teacher and as an administrator. And he was a dear friend and confidant.”

Tommy Lyons of Thibodaux, a 1980 graduate who took classes with LeCompte at Nicholls and abroad, said, “He was a delightful, truly gifted scholar with a unique flair. He treated a student as a person. After my first trip with him to Rome when I was 19, I considered him a friend.”

Audrey Dozar, who worked for LeCompte when he was a dean and then a vice president, remembers him as “a gentleman, an animated lecturer and an expert on Shakespeare, wine and the budget process.”

“He always welcomed students with open arms,” the administrative assistant to the Nicholls president added.

LeCompte was born Aug. 23, 1935, and graduated from Terrebonne High School in 1953. In early 1955, he dropped out of Nicholls Junior College to join the Army in time to qualify for the G.I. Bill of Rights, which would soon expire.

Upon his return to Nicholls, the government paid for his education. Having mastered Hungarian while in uniform, he objected when the dean of arts and sciences made him enroll in French classes, later learning that the dean saw him as a future Ph.D. student who would enter graduate school with the foreign-languages requirement already met. In 1960 LeCompte became a Hall of Fame graduate.

After completing Master of Arts in English at LSU in 1962 and additional graduate work, LeCompte joined the Nicholls faculty in 1964 as an English instructor. He often taught classes in folklore and Shakespeare and at one time a wine course.

He received his doctorate from LSU in 1967 after researching word use in Lafourche Parish and Grand Isle. His master’s research concerned word use in Terrebonne Parish. In 1970 he became head of the English Department, and in 1972 dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. In 1984, the college was split with LeCompte then serving as dean of liberal arts. In December 1988, he was given additional responsibilities and named assistant vice president for academic affairs.

In summer 1994, Ayo persuaded LeCompte to accept the post of vice president for academic affairs, even though he had just been the honoree at two retirement parties. LeCompte soon helped the president get Board of Regents approval to establish a culinary arts degree. He retired in the summer 1997.

Many of LeCompte’s former students knew him from a summer study-abroad program sponsored by Louisiana Tech. In summer 1970, he and Jo Ann Cangemi of the College of Education spent six weeks in Rome, teaching and guiding students, including about 50 from Nicholls, around the city and parts of Italy. It became an annual summer event for LeCompte until 1978. In 1976-77 he served as president of the Nicholls chapter of the national honor society of Phi Kappa Phi.

As a Nicholls junior college student, LeCompte served as student body treasurer, much later representing arts and sciences on the Student Council. He was an unsuccessful candidate for student body president in 1959. For both of his campaigns he used big, colorful cloth banners. He was a member of the Honor Society, the debate team, the Lafourche Greys drill team, the Newman Club and the Scribblers’ Club.

Through the years, he played the title role in “The King and I” in Houma and supporting roles in such Nicholls Cajun productions as “The Great Big Doorstep” and “These Are My People, This Is My Land.” He was Nicholls commencement speaker four times between 1978 and 2003.

He often toured Europe, attended Shakespearean festivals in Canada and regularly read novels, especially those written by his former students. He often ate meals prepared by culinary arts students. For years he was active in the New Orleans Krewe of Endymion. He was known for his blunt candor and sense of humor, which allowed him to make observations such as “The secretaries run the university.”

<p>Friends, colleagues and former students remember Nolan P. LeCompte Jr., Nicholls professor and vice president of academic affairs emeritus, as a dynamic lecturer, an effective administrator and a congenial friend. He died Friday morning at his Houma home at age 77. Visitation will be from noon until the 2 p.m. funeral time Thursday at St. Thomas Aquinas on the Nicholls campus. </p><p>“He was one of the leaders who made Nicholls what it is today,” former Nicholls President Donald Ayo said. “His love of the academic world and his love for students served him well as a teacher and as an administrator. And he was a dear friend and confidant.”</p><p>Tommy Lyons of Thibodaux, a 1980 graduate who took classes with LeCompte at Nicholls and abroad, said, “He was a delightful, truly gifted scholar with a unique flair. He treated a student as a person. After my first trip with him to Rome when I was 19, I considered him a friend.”</p><p>Audrey Dozar, who worked for LeCompte when he was a dean and then a vice president, remembers him as “a gentleman, an animated lecturer and an expert on Shakespeare, wine and the budget process.” </p><p>“He always welcomed students with open arms,” the administrative assistant to the Nicholls president added.</p><p>LeCompte was born Aug. 23, 1935, and graduated from Terrebonne High School in 1953. In early 1955, he dropped out of Nicholls Junior College to join the Army in time to qualify for the G.I. Bill of Rights, which would soon expire.</p><p>Upon his return to Nicholls, the government paid for his education. Having mastered Hungarian while in uniform, he objected when the dean of arts and sciences made him enroll in French classes, later learning that the dean saw him as a future Ph.D. student who would enter graduate school with the foreign-languages requirement already met. In 1960 LeCompte became a Hall of Fame graduate.</p><p>After completing Master of Arts in English at LSU in 1962 and additional graduate work, LeCompte joined the Nicholls faculty in 1964 as an English instructor. He often taught classes in folklore and Shakespeare and at one time a wine course. </p><p>He received his doctorate from LSU in 1967 after researching word use in Lafourche Parish and Grand Isle. His master's research concerned word use in Terrebonne Parish. In 1970 he became head of the English Department, and in 1972 dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. In 1984, the college was split with LeCompte then serving as dean of liberal arts. In December 1988, he was given additional responsibilities and named assistant vice president for academic affairs. </p><p>In summer 1994, Ayo persuaded LeCompte to accept the post of vice president for academic affairs, even though he had just been the honoree at two retirement parties. LeCompte soon helped the president get Board of Regents approval to establish a culinary arts degree. He retired in the summer 1997.</p><p>Many of LeCompte's former students knew him from a summer study-abroad program sponsored by Louisiana Tech. In summer 1970, he and Jo Ann Cangemi of the College of Education spent six weeks in Rome, teaching and guiding students, including about 50 from Nicholls, around the city and parts of Italy. It became an annual summer event for LeCompte until 1978. In 1976-77 he served as president of the Nicholls chapter of the national honor society of Phi Kappa Phi.</p><p>As a Nicholls junior college student, LeCompte served as student body treasurer, much later representing arts and sciences on the Student Council. He was an unsuccessful candidate for student body president in 1959. For both of his campaigns he used big, colorful cloth banners. He was a member of the Honor Society, the debate team, the Lafourche Greys drill team, the Newman Club and the Scribblers' Club. </p><p>Through the years, he played the title role in “The King and I” in Houma and supporting roles in such Nicholls Cajun productions as “The Great Big Doorstep” and “These Are My People, This Is My Land.” He was Nicholls commencement speaker four times between 1978 and 2003. </p><p>He often toured Europe, attended Shakespearean festivals in Canada and regularly read novels, especially those written by his former students. He often ate meals prepared by culinary arts students. For years he was active in the New Orleans Krewe of Endymion. He was known for his blunt candor and sense of humor, which allowed him to make observations such as “The secretaries run the university.”</p>